


Blood on the Horizon

by orphan_account



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Caliginous Romance | Kismesis, F/F, Organized Crime, Trolls on Earth
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-02
Updated: 2013-10-13
Packaged: 2017-12-27 16:53:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/981323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Sprawling metropolis of Derse is a dark intimidating place ruled by two criminals, Doc Scratch and Marquise Spinneret Mindfang.  </p><p>When four very different girls get caught up in the tangled web of the city, can there be anything left for them but blood?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Part 1: Rose**

You remember the fire. You remember the building snapping and crumbling under your feet as you ran for safety. you remember her voice, telling you to get out, urging you to live another day. you remember jumping from the first floor. You remember the impact. You remember seeing the building collapse under it's own weight while she tried to escape.

You remember the embers. You remember the cold. You remember the maid holding you. You remember the tears. Then you don't remember anything.

Your name is Rose Lalonde and you are an orphan. As far as orphans go, you're one of the lucky ones you muse. You had a good upbringing, thirteen years of warmth, riches and the thing you are most thankful for, education. You're lucky to have ever known your mother at all, luckier yet that she was the woman she was. Roxanne Lalonde was a doctor, quite unheard of for her gender, and she had made an unimaginable amount of money, even more unheard of, after she cured a disease which had hit the kingdom, so rare people think you’re lying. A unimaginable amount of money you couldn't get at, because you (1) didn't have the key to the safe, (2) couldn't pick the safe and (3) couldn't take the safe with you to the orphanage to continue your efforts at picking it. You stop and wonder if the safe is even in the place the house once was three years ago.

You are fifteen years old, turning sixteen in a week. A date you both look forward to and dread equally. On the plus side you get to leave the orphanage, a place which you are sure has done some awful things to your psychology, on the down side they’re just going to sell you into servitude anyway.

The client who they seem to have lined up is in fact in talks with the orphanage right now in the same room as you. He is a slightly sinister looking man, even with an expression which, on any other face, might look kindly, his face is equally thin and round, with large prominent cheekbones, a bald head and sunken features. He apparently has need of another maid.

To be honest you had stopped listening. You know the orphanage, any negotiations are out of you hands and the orphanage won’t barter for a better deal for you anyway, only for themselves.

The chatter ceases and the man turns to you, “Hello Rose my name is Doctor Callum Scratch, but you can call me Doc Scratch, you’ll be coming to live with me from Thursday.” He places a hand on your shoulder and you jerk back slightly at his touch, it’s cold. The man smiles, raises his hand. “I’m sure we’ll be very good friends.” He leaves and you are ushered back to your room to pack up what few belongings you have. Your future awaits.

 

**Part 2: Kanaya**

It's a hot summer night and even with all the tears in your scruffy red dress you are boiling. You glance over at your sister, Porrim, dressed in a revealing black number, she's clearly hotter than you are but she's been doing this longer than you so she's able to be at least a little more professional.

You are currently standing outside the residence of Marquise Spinneret Mindfang, notorious scum-bag and the most influential troll, woman and criminal in the city.

The city is quiet, or at least the eye of the storm is. There's light sounds of chatter from within the manor and the sound of a carriage in the distance, but other than that, silence.

You stand like this for a while, taking in the quiet, trying not to think about the heat or the state of disrepair your dress is in. Before the silence is destroyed by none other than the marquise herself.

"How's front of house going, ladies." She grins from the doorway. She's wearing a black corset over a cobalt blouse with a mid length black skirt, the buttoning on her blouse is wrong and you can already smell rum on her breath. She wanders up to Porrim, grabbing the girls hair and pulling her into a kiss.

"Hello darling." Mindfang smirks, breaking away.

"Hello Aranea," Porrim replies. Mindfang gives a laugh.

"If you were anyone else I'd have you killed for saying that." She pulled a hip-flask out and handed it to the jade blood. "Indigo, don't drink it all at once." She smiled handing your sister the bottle and immediately turned around to face you. "Kangaya!"

"Kanaya." You mutter, half hoping she doesn’t hear

"Whatever." She walks toward you "Mini Maryam!" She stops and looks you up and down. "Well not so mini in some areas." You find yourself blushing slightly despite yourself and the marquise takes this as an invitation to get closer to you, she places a rough hand gently on the side of your face, moving it down to you chin which she tilts upwards so you're facing her. "How are you liking front of house? Not as exciting as in the back obviously."

"I uh," You stammer looking into the marquise's eyes, the mismatched blue left pupil and the seven black pupils seem to look through you, or at least they do when Mindfang's gaze hasn't dropped to your cleavage. "I must say I prefer it."

"Gooooooood!" Aranea gives a fanged smile, "glad to hear it. Only the best for my kanlaya. We're all sisters here after all." She removes her hand from your face and turns to leave. As she reaches the door she turns again. "Listen up you two, tomorrow I want new girls you hear, Olive if possible, we're running short of green bloods since you two got your," She hesitates for second, "Promotions. Take Vriska with you if you like, she’s got nothing better to do."

With that Mindfang disappears into the Manor. You hear Porrim sigh. "Regrets?" You ask walking up to your sister.

"I don't know Kanaya." She wipes her mouth with the back of her hand. "But you're not back there any more so that makes it worth it."

You frown. "You don't have to do this for me."

"Like I could back out now anyway." She snorts and pulls you into a hug. "She's not too bad really... A cold bitch, yes. But as far as they go one of the better ones."

You can't help but laugh slightly. "You should go in, I don't want you dealing with the drunks who will be out here soon, ." She half-heartedly shoos you away.

You walk up to the manor door. "Will you be alright?"

"I'm Spinneret Mindfang’s favourite possession, there's no position safer than that in the whole city." She smiles.

You hope she's right

 

**Part 3: Terezi**

You let your hand wander over the page with surgical precision. You have a lot of reports to file, and the night is still young. The moon is high in the warm summer sky and the police headquarters are almost completely empty. You let your mind wander as you fill in the mound of paperwork. You are sure most of the pile will go unread by your superiors.

Your name is Sgt. Terezi Pyrope of the troll branch of the Derse metropolitan police. The youngest ranking officer in your city at age 17 and notorious for getting those she sees as guilty hung. What can you say, you love justice and that's what this city needs more than anything.

Derse lies close to the border of Alternia, the Trollian homeland. There are more mixing of humans and trolls here than anywhere else in the world, and mixing is not a good thing for public order.

You finish the last of your paperwork in record time and grab your cane. You aren't fully blind but your eyes don't react well to high light levels, the cane is more a weapon than an aid for movement. You pick up your papers with your free hand and trudge your way up to DCI Zahhak's office.

"Pyrope." He greets you, he stands at a window gazing out onto the dark streets below, his eyes fixed on the city engulfed in void. "You have the reports I presume?" He does not turn to face you.

"Sir. I have located the presence of two illegal gambling arenas in the east city." You place the papers at his desk and stand to attention in front of it.

"Good, you’re much like your sister Sergeant." He turns to look at you. "Latula would be proud of you."

You feel a lump in your throat. "That is all I can ask for." You try to maintain a businesslike stance. Zahhak turns to look at you, taking a measure of you.

"You can check them out further after your job tomorrow." He announces after a while. "But first, Doctor Scratch has some shipments arriving at felt manor tomorrow, you are to guard them."

"Permission to speak sir."

"Permission granted."

"I do not understand why I must do this, surely it is Scratch’s job to guard his goods not ours?"

"Pyrope, do you know how this city works?" He asks leaving you no time to respond. "The rich get richer and they pay the poor to work and then the rich get richer and they pay for more to work. That is how the city works, Doc Scratch employs 5% of the population, if he goes down, so does the city. When I tell you to guard Scratches best interests, I am telling you to guard the city’s best interests. You are dismissed Sergeant, get some sleep."

"But sir-"

"I strongly suggest you get some sleep Pyrope. It will be a long day tomorrow I can already tell."

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Part 1: Vriska**

"I cannot believe I have to do a mission with you fussyfangs, do you even have any combat skills?" You smile, looking at the girl who will be your partner for the next day. She rolls her eyes.

"This is a recruitment mission Vriska, we shouldn't need to resort to any violence anyway. I'm sure this whole thing will in fact be a huge waste of time due to a lack of Porrim, how are we even supposed to do this?" Kanaya pulls the hood of a long coat over her head. You and Kanaya are both wearing these to help you blend into the normal troll population. Although your own horns clearly denote your Serket linage, so you wonder about the effectiveness of such measures.

"Search me." You shrug. "Looks like we have a day off Maryam. We should just give up now and enjoy the day."

"Do you really think that your sister hasn't sent spies out to watch us? This is the most obvious test ever."

"Well, what do they need to test me for? I'm the heiress, I'm the best."

"Your modesty is astonishing." Kanaya smiles.

You spend most of the day wandering the city with Kanaya, she's pretty good company, even if she does tend to be unable of controlling her snark. Eventually you find yourself in the east city, staring up at felt manor, home of your sisters only competition in the city, Doc Scratch. The manor is a huge green building, towering over the city streets and honestly resembles more of a castle.

"Lets go in closer." You whisper to Kanaya. "I'm itching for a fight..."

"You can't be serious, that place is too well guarded for you, and besides we're supposed to be on a recruitment mission." Kanaya hisses back.

You were about to pull rank when something caught your attention. A rather grandiose carriage stopped in front of the manor and who should leave but Doc Scratch himself. He was accompanied by a troll police officer and a blonde human girl. Both of the girls can't have been much older or younger than you. "That scratch guy is such a creep." You whisper. But Kanaya seems transfixed on the scene.

Two servants leave the manor , dressed in green suits. They pull some boxes from atop the carriage and carry them inside accompanied by scratch and the troll. You find yourself struck with a great idea, you quickly elbow Kanaya in her side to grab her attention. "Listen up, we're here to recruit, right? lets go grab that girl."

"What-" Kanaya begins but you drag her up by her elbow and pull her forwards a short distance and then making a beeline to the girl, who only notices you as you're within grabbing distance. You place a single finger over her mouth and grab her wrist. You turn on your heel and run back into the city streets.

Your name is Vriska Serket and you've never felt more alive.

 

**Part 2: Terezi**

Why Scratch didn't leave someone with the girl in the first place is beyond you. Nevertheless it's your job to fix his mistakes it seems, and at least this one is actually something you would bother with were you not under Scratch’s employ by proxy. Unlawful kidnapping? You sure hope that has the death penalty.

You quickly pull your glasses from your breast pocket and place them on your head before dashing off after the criminals, they're quick, but the human girl is slowing them down. You follow them down several winding side streets, a grin appears on your face, you love a good chase.

Your prey soon makes a wrong turning and arrives at a dead end. They turn to face you, one has the horns of the Serket Family, oh boy, you got the marquise's heiress. You advance on the girl but she deftly dodges and kicks you in the jaw. You stumble backwards slightly before regaining your posture and turning to the other troll, she's raised her fists, if they both attack you at once, you might be in trouble.

You lunge at the heiress’ accomplice, who hesitates at the sight of you charging, before throwing an easily dodged punch. You grab her outstretched arm, and place a handcuff around her wrist, positioning yourself behind her and grabbing her other arm pulling it backwards into an arm lock and quickly locking the other cuff around her.

Then you are kicked in the face. The Serket quickly follows up by kicking your chest, winding you. You flinch and the troll moves in again with a hook, you bat the punch away and follow with a leg sweep, which your opponent is quick to evade, jumping at you with a knee outstretched. It impacts painfully with your lowered forehead and you are knocked to the floor.

The cobalt blood motions to stamp on your face but is distracted by something, you steal a glance and there is Doc Scratch and four of his felt bodyguards. "Damn" You hear her mutter. "You win this one Scratch." She runs at the party, knocking two of the guards down and escaping down the alley. You pull yourself up and follow her but a strong hand on your shoulder stops you.

"I think that's enough for today, don't you hm?" Doc Scratch says, grinning slightly sinisterly.

"With all due respect sir that is a criminal and I intend to see them hang."

"Oh, no. Sorry, but you see, I'm telling you to let her go and help transport the other to felt manor."

"The other one is going to the police station." You growl, "It might have been your servant who was kidnapped but this is out of your hands, Scratch. It's the law who runs this city not you, in case you hadn't noticed."

"As a matter of fact I hadn't." The bald man smirked and turned to his henchmen "Sawbuck, Quarters please take the prisoner back to the manor. Crowbar, please escort Ms. Pyrope back to the station. Stitch please escort miss Lalonde to the manor."

"I'll be telling my higher ups about this, we'll see what they have to say on the matter." You snarl at scratch.

"I look forward to it."

 

**Part 3: Rose**

Living in the city is fucking stressful. You must have changed custody at least three times today, you've been kidnapped three times, twice lawfully by Scratch, and now 10 hours after you left the orphanage you finally have some time alone. Well sort of.

Across the room a troll stares at you, her head dipped to the side ever so slightly. She has two curved horns resembling those of a ram and tied back hair held in place by two needles crossed at right angles to each other. She wears a bright green dress accented in darker shades of green, which perfectly accentuates her soft curves.

"Hello," She says cheerfully, her voice is soft on the ears and lightly accented. "Are you Rose?" You nod slightly and, cliché as it is, you are slightly mesmerised. "I'm Aradia," She says, bouncing up to you and offering her hand.

You stare at the outstretched hand for a moment. Hoping it might explain the strange feeling you are currently experiencing.

Aradia tips her head to the side slightly and you realise she’s been waiting for you to shake her hand. You do so quickly trying to remain calm. You shake her hand quickly. Aradia seems happy with it at least. "Nice to meet you Aradia," you say slightly distractedly, trying to make sense of your situation. There is a moment of silence. "So what do you do around here?" you blurt, trying to avoid any awkward silence between you, while you figure out what’s going on.

"Oh you know, Maid stuff." Aranea shrugs leaning back and falling onto her bed.  "Mostly cleaning and fuelling the Doc's maid fetish by doing maid things." She yawns sitting upright and patting the edge of her bed, inviting you to sit with her.

You comply and she continues. "You'll get one too, don't worry." She gestures to her dress and you try not to stare too long at the hypnotising way her body curves from waist to thigh. "It'll probably be objectifying as shit and bright green but on the upside it'll probably make your ass look so good it'll be the subject of slam poetry for millennia to come."

You laugh, you honest to god laugh, you laugh like you haven't in a long time. Not the sarcastic snorts and snickers you were fluent in at the orphanage, real laughter. Aradia begins to laugh too, apparently extremely amused by your happiness.

The two of you talk about everything and nothing late into the night until Aradia falls asleep next to you. She looks so peaceful like this. You push some loose hair behind her ear and move to your own bed.

As you put out the candle on your nightstand, you get one last glance at Aradia. Her body moves up and down softly and it hits you. You have a crush on this girl. Huh, you can’t say you’ve really thought about that kind of stuff before. You turn your attention back to Aradia’s soft smile. Perhaps your new life might not be so bad after all.

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Part 1: Kanaya**

It's been two days since you were thrown into Scratch's prison at felt manor. At least you think so, you've been given 4 "meals" which have normally only consisted of bread and water, there's no natural light and your only home comfort is a torch on the other end of the corridor.

You lie on your bed, not sure if you prefer the slight light with your eyes open or the darkness of your eyes closed. Scratch hasn't interrogated you yet, and you're pretty sure once he deals with the cop who caught you in the first place, you won't even have the ‘luxury’ of food.

With no external stimulus your mind turns over the events leading to your imprisonment. Why had the troll girl seemed so familiar? Why did you struggle to move around her? You feel as though you failed Vriska more than anything, apart from Porrim, she was the closest thing you had to a friend and you were helpless against the troll with the conical horns. You decide to close your eyes, perhaps Porrim and Vriska will convince the marquise to bargain for your release, but you doubt it. You're pretty inconsequential to the woman, her consorts sister and her sisters friend.

No, you're pretty sure you're going to die in this place and maybe you'd be okay with that. Life is pretty stressful after all, no more worrying about where your next meal is coming from, no more bother over Porrim's addiction, no more uncertainty.

There is a slight tip tap as feet make their way down the stone stairs overhead. A girl appears at the end of the cell block, a tray in hand. She's a troll, wearing the kind of garment you aren't at all surprised is the garb for the servants of a man like scratch. She softly places the tray down and slides it under the bars. You begin to eat the measly sustenance offered to you and become acutely aware that the girl is still yet to leave.

"Hello!" She says, cheerfully as you look up at her. "My name is Aradia! What's your's?"

You blink. "Kanaya," you say, after swallowing a chunk of bread.

"And you're the one who kidnapped Rose right?"

Rose? Oh, the human girl. "The human? Yes. Why?"

"I was wondering why you did it." Aradia said, sitting on the floor opposite you, her knees propped up in front of her. "Were you trying to rescue her?"

"I- Suppose you could call it that, Vriska would have. But not really, the marquise would probably just use her as labour, if she was lucky."

Aradia looked taken aback. "Why would you do that?"

You stare at her for a moment trying to gauge her. "When was the last time you left this building properly?"

"Uh, I've never really left it for more than an hour at a time, at least I can't remember doing that."

"I see. You know nothing of the outside world then?" You sigh. "It's not good out there okay? This city is run by two criminals, your employer Scratch who runs all the Casinos in the city and Marquise Spinneret Mindfang who runs all the brothels in the city. The two are always trying to fuck with each other, Mindfang sends people to cheat in Scratch's casinos, Scratch directs cops to Mindfang's operations. Vriska wanted to take Rose because she was a thing Scratch had."

Aradia's expression turned more sour as your story went on. "And nobody does anything about this? You're willing to be a part of this system?"

"Nobody wants to be a part of the system but the ringleaders. My sister Porrim and I were only trying to survive, we had no choice. You serve the system too. Did you ever have any choice? Did Rose?"

Aradia stared down at her feet. "So how do we fight it?"

"We don't." You mutter, feeling dejected by your own words. "There's nothing a prisoner and a maid can do."

"But what could three free girls do?" Aradia says, with a gleam in her eye and a smile forming on her lips.

 

**Part 2: Vriska**

Serkets don't lose. That's what Mindfang had always said. You remember becoming obsessed with her legend all that time ago, her bravery, her cunning, her rapier wit, she was everything you wanted to be and more.

But Serkets do lose. You've always been a loser and nothings changed, you lost to Scratch, you lost the girl, you lost Kanaya and you lost to HER. You look down at the girl, being marched down the back alley streets by one of Scratch's men. Terezi Pyrope, of course it would be her. You had been warned about her, she'd not bested you in combat but she'd bought time which is what she was trying to do. There's a difference between being unskilled and tactical.

You drop down from your hiding place and tail her for a few streets, before her escort leaves her and she walks down a quiet alley. As you step into the alley she speaks. "Why did you come Serket?" Her back still turned to you.

"Serkets don't lose. Especially not to cops."

Terezi turns around. "Oh, really?" She grinned, "And I suppose you're here to not lose against me then?"

"Oh no, not at all!" You grin, pulling down your hood to reveal a mass of black hair. "Just wanted to say hello. It's important for a member of the force to be familiar with the community she polices, right?"

"I could hand you in right now you know." Terezi smirks, pointing her cane at you. "I'd be well rewarded too."

"But you won't." You say, matter of factly, walking forwards slowly and coming to a stop at the tip of her cane. "You're not interested in the recognition, no, you're trying to avoid it right? Everyone knowing Redglare never did her many favours now did it?"

Terezi's expression drops but her cane does not. "How do you..."

"We're not just petty criminals you know." You make a show of rolling your eyes. "The descendant of the greatest pirate of all time doesn't pick the same name as her by chance! You're a Pyrope right? A Pyrope who is obsessed with the law and justice and stuff, I mean look at your glasses for gods sake."

"At least I don't go around calling myself Redglare." Terezi lowers her cane.

"Hey, you take up that beef with Aranea not me!" You smirk. "Although I'd probably not try that if I were you."

"But what do you really want?" Terezi said, exasperated.

"Kanaya. Scratch has her prisoner right? You're not gonna let him take your prisoner are you?"

"Earlier you said I wasn't looking for recognition." Terezi cackled slightly.

"You won't get any for bringing in Kanaya, she's nobody. How is leaving her to die in any way just?"

"You sound desperate all of a sudden. Are you in a quadrant with her?" Terezi raises an eyebrow.

"What? Of course not! Me and fussyfangs, ha!" You say perhaps a little too quickly. You guess you might have a little tiny palecrush on the girl, but that's it. Not that you're admitting that to her. "She's just a friend is all."

"Right, and you want me to take her into police custody where she'll probably get a life sentence because?"

"At least she won't die alright? I don't want her to die, I'll help you bust her out and she can spend the rest of her days in the county jail or whatever."

"HA! Like I'd even accept your help anyway, you're a criminal Serket!"

"We'll see." You shrug. "Name's Vriska, I spend most of my time in the blue palace, which is a legal tavern by the way." You turn on your heels and leave the alley pulling your hood back over your head. You turn to Terezi one last time.

"See you around Redglare."

 

**Part 3: Rose**

You soon settle down to life working in Scratch's service. The work's not too hard and though the hours are long you find yourself pulled through them if only for the promise of the evening. Not even Scratch himself is too bad, though he has a habit of sitting in a room you are working in and talk. Not really talking to you, more talking at you, your job is to continue doing your job and occasionally snark under your breath which he apparently finds amusing. Like Aradia had said you were soon given a uniform, quite unlike the trolls, yours was a black dress, with a line green sash at it's waist and lime green sleeves. You despise the colour but, the garment might suit you in any other colour, also like Aradia had said it makes your ass look amazing.

Today you've been sent to work with snowman, a tall woman with striking short dark hair. She gives you a slight nod as you enter her office. "You know how to write, correct?" she says, not looking up from her own writing.

"Yes ma'am," You reply, obedient and patient that’s the ticket.

"Cut the shit Lalonde, you must hate working here, everyone does. I'm Blair Queen, you can call me Blair. Sit over there and write everything down that goes on alright? Then give me the papers and forget everything ever happened." She sticks a cigarette in her mouth and lights it. Snowman doesn't ask, she tells and when she tells, everyone listens. You can't help but respect her for that.

Soon enough a troll barges into the room, he's immediately distinctive, wearing a long purple cloak across a pair of broad shoulders, with a pair of lightning bolt shaped horns. "Ah Ampora, to what do I owe the honour?" Snowman says, sitting back in her chair and gesturing to one in front of her desk.

"You know full well what the honour is." The troll spits. "You got the Maryam girl locked up right?"

"We may." Snowman says offering the man a cigarette which he accepts, letting it dangle from him mouth. "Why would you care about that though."

"You don't know what the girl is worth I see, give her to me, I'll make it worth your while."

"How? You are, in fact, constantly unable to show any results, in fact, you are in an amorous relationship with our companies direct competitor. Why would we hand you an asset you just now described as incredibly valuable?"

"Okay, no, that's bullshit. First off, my relationship with Mindfang is about as testy as you can get. Second, if it's fuckin having an amorous relationship with the enemy you're looking for, what about you and Slick? Third, she's useless to you without me to tell you why."

Snowman smiled. "Alright, Cronus you win, you have 15 minutes." The troll’s eyes widen, clearly surprised about this response. She turns to you, "Rose please escort this man to the dungeon."

You stand, set your paper aside and bow to the troll. "This way sir." You say. The troll follows you out of the room and you walk down the spiral staircase to the dungeon. You've never been here before, but luckily Cronus apparently has, pushing past you and grabbing a torch off the wall, venturing into the darkened row of cells. It’s perfectly quiet bar the sound of Ampora’s boots on the cobbled floor. Eventually he comes to a stop raising his torch above his head and peering between some bars, he smiles and you look into the illuminated cell.

In the cell is the troll girl who had tried to kidnap you.

 


	4. Chapter 4

Part 1: Terezi

As soon as you get back to your office you find a note left to you by Zahhak. You sigh, Horuss Zahhak somehow knows everything that happens in the city before everyone else. He's the backbone of the force, but sometimes you wish he would just slip up in his noticing your slip-ups.

You trudge upstairs to Zahhak's office as soon as you enter the building, knowing you'll only have a summons waiting for you on your desk anyway. He's standing at the window again when you enter, but this time he turns to you immediately. “Pyrope,” he mumbles before clearing his throat and standing to attention. “I hear there was a dispute earlier involving prisoners.”

You hold back a sigh of relief, it seems Horuss knows nothing about your rendezvous with Vriska. You wouldn't have been surprised if he did, but it make sense that he didn’t. “Yes sir, Callum Scratch gained custody of a criminal guilty of kidnapping, as well as possibly several other crimes besides, as she would appear to have a connection to Marquise Spinneret Mindfang. It is my wish that she be transferred to police custody where I may properly interrogate her.

“Very well.” Darkleer's face hardened, now at a point where his gaze could cut diamond. “I understand you may have a grudge against the Marquise, after-”

“Not at all.” You reply loudly, cutting the man off. “Personal bias only clouds judgement, I detest the Marquise because she is a scoundrel, a thief and a murderer, nothing else.”

Darkleer, nodded. “Then I think it best you deal with that criminal Pyrope. However, I do not believe I have the power to arrange retrieving the prisoner.”

Your expression drops a notch. “Then what would you have me do?”

“Talk with someone who has the power to bargain with a man like Scratch. Talk to the Grand Highblood.” Your expression drops completely at Zahhak's words. “If you want to talk to the Maryam girl you really have no choice.”

With that you left, headed for the Joyous Cathedral: a huge black building, deep in the heart of the troll quarter. They say it was painted black so the blood colours of the subjugglated inside would stand out more. It stinks of death and is thick with flies, which you try and bat away as you walk up the rainbow painted steps to the temples entrance. You push the door open with your left hand, cane held tightly in your right.

The room is a long black affair, with faded purple polka dots and stripes covering most surfaces, however as you might expect of any place a priest of the mirthful church plys his trade, the lower walls and floor are covered in dried blood. At the end of the corridor slouches the 420th Grand Highblood of Derse, Gamzee Makara. Most Grand Highbloods don't last long, often killed by other subjugglators within weeks of canonisation, however Gamzee’s been sitting on the painted throne for three years, since he, at age 14, murdered his older brother Kurloz, only two and a half weeks after his ascension to the position of 419th Grand Highblood.

Gamzee watches you intently as you walk forwards, draped over his chair, stray drops of Green and Yellow blood scattered over his ceremonial uniform. “Well motherfucking well. If it isn't motherfucking Terezi Pyrope of the Motherfuckers. What can I all up and do for my best Tealsis?” Gamzee drawls.

“You know why I'm here Gam-,” You hesitate. “Lord Makara.”

“Too motherfucking right you do. Got all that wicked understanding all up in your think pan like the blasphemer you all up and chose to be. Fuckin Magnets.”

“How do they work?” A chorus of subjugglators in the sides chant, then there is the righteous honking. Gamzee has lasted long on the throne for several reasons, (1) he is scary as shit so no neophytes want to mess with him, (2) he's about as pious as they come, so the elders have no issue with him and (3) being the 420th Grand Highblood has the added benefit that every subjugglator finds that number incredibly amusing for no reason and the joke still hasn't got old after 3 years.

“I'm sure you discu-”

“Listen all up and here little lady motherfucking justice. I got all sorts of talking on paper from Darkleer, motherfucker was going on and on and on and i got fucking lost and I had some culling to do anyway so I never even read that shit.” Gamzee smiled rising from his seat. "But I don't do shit for some heretical peasantblood, so It's good to know now I don't have to."

“Listen Makara.” You snap raising your cane at the troll. “Just get me my prisoner and I'll be out of here, read Darkleers message and talk to Scratch.” You really didn’t want to be in the cathedral any longer. No matter your bravado you were outmatched, not even you could take on all 9 mirthful priests who currently surrounded you.

“Motherfucker, you think you can all get your boss on? Think you can all tell me what to do like when we were thirteen. You are motherfucking nothing, just a shadow of your motherfucking sister, trying to take her place because you got her killed.” Gamzee stepped forwards. “I bet you're all trying to get your motherfucking avenge on too. Little Pyrope trying to take on the big bad, sounds familiar right?”

"That's it." You whisper into the silence,  sliding the end off your cane to reveal a concealed sword. “Shut” You charge forwards, swinging the blade at the clown's face, which he lazily dodges, the end of the blade glancing his painted face. “The” You swing again across his body and he dodges, quicker than last time, before sliding slightly to the left “FUCK” You spin on your heels, twisting the blade in your hand and quickly thrusting it through the stomach of the other troll,  “UP” You knee the stunned troll in the crotch, causing him to drop to a crouch.

Gamzee begins to chuckle. His body convulses as the twisted laughter sounds off. Your foot swings up to his face seemingly without warning and the troll falls backwards onto his back. You pull your blade out of his stomach and threateningly raise above his heart. Gamzee's chuckling continues.

“Don't think I won't because your subjugglators are nearby. Get me the prisoner highblood.” You say as coolly as you can manage under the circumstances. Gamzee just laughs. “Say something," you place your blade at his throat, tickling his windpipe with the sharp steel each time another laugh erupts from him. "SAY SOMETHING YOU COWARD.” The laughing gets louder. “ARGH! I don't need you, I never needed you and everyone would be better off without you.” Your hand shakes as you point the blade back at the trolls heart.

There is silence in the church for a minute bar gamzee’s chuckling. “Why won’t you give me something.” The chuckling continues. “A reason to hate you, a reason to forgive you, just something.” You drop your head trying to pull back a teal tear you can't explain and press down. The chucking stops, Gamzee takes a deep breath. You look at him reluctantly, his yellow eyes stare back at you.

“Honk.”

 

Part 2: Kanaya

Cronus Ampora is not a hard man to understand. He cares for two things. The first: pissing off Spinneret Mindfang. This makes him a very dangerous man, but not exactly one who is hard to second guess. You should have known he was coming really.

“Hello Kan, long time no see.” He smiles, an unlit cigarette drooping from his mouth. “How are things?” Cronus cuts quite the intimidating figure, he's tall and broad shouldered, wearing a black suit over a ruffled violet shirt, a long cape of the same colour resting atop his shoulders. On his fingers he wears two rings, a bronze ring with a blue topaz, representing his kismesissitude with Mindfang and a gold ring with a large circular Amethyst atop it, denoting his status as an Alternian nobleman. A sword hangs loosely from his waist in an ornamental scabbard which shares the same violet colouration as the rest of his articles of clothing.

“Oh, you know, pretty good.” You smile back, lacing your voice with as much fake warmth as he had to you. “How are things with you?”

“Pretty swell.” Cronus' expression dropped. “Oh, but there is one thing that's been bugging me for quite a while. An I think you might be able to help me with it.”

Your smile drops completely. “ I wonder what that could be."

“This is your one chance, Kanaya, I'd think it over harder if I were you. I'm sure Porrim's worried about you right now, why would I be any different.”

“That's not the point.” You snap, “He doesn't trust you and I don't either.”

“Well, if I'm so untrustworthy, should I just go upstairs and tell them what you are? I hear there's a good deal of demand for drinkers if you look in the right places.” You can't help but stare at him, his lips curl into a smirk. “Get some rest, I'll be back in a day for your answer.” He places his torch in a holster by your cell and turns to leave.

You turn your back to the corridor and bring your knees into your chest, staring solemnly at the light dancing on  your cell wall. Is this what your life has become? Picking between your own skin and your friends? Could you live with yourself knowing you condemned a friend like-?

“Excuse me.” You lose your train of thought, and look behind you. There's a human girl dressed in what is almost certainly a Scratch uniform, identifying her as one of Scratch's servant girl harem. She sports short, unevenly cut blonde hair over a softly featured face with the exception of her hard analytical lavender eyes. For a moment the eyes throw you off before you realise who this is.

"You're the girl we,"

"Tried to kidnap? Yeah. Don't beat yourself up too much about it, I thought you were doing a pretty good job really."

She's far from the shy weak girl you had initially thought her to be, although you feel that maybe your lapse in judgment may have been because you had not seen how her eyes focus on you that day. If looks could kill, this girl would be sitting in front of the only exit in the room, slowly sharpening its knives.

"So why are you here?" You ask, shifting your entire body back to its original position, looking at the bars.

"I had to bring that guy down here, even if he knew the way better than me."

"So you were sent here to spy on our conversation."

"Pretty much, although I can't report much seeing as you seemed to be talking in tongues."

You find yourself smiling slightly. "When one topic is the only thing you ever talk to a person about, you lose need for proper nouns."

This makes Rose giggle slightly. "But what was it you were talking about really?"

"What so you can report to snowman about it?"

"A wonderful deduction Ms. Kanaya, that was indeed definitely why I was asking."

You realise you are actually smiling now. "Yeah, yeah I know. I was just checking a hypothesis is all."

"Was the hypothesis, 'Rose is an idiot'?" The girl, now identified as Rose said, wagging her finger in air quotes.

"More along the lines of 'That human girl with the blonde hair is an idiot' as I didn't know your name."

"Goodness!" Rose said, raising a hand to her face which was painted with mock horror "I hadn't introduced myself! How very improper of me! Baroness Rose Jane Lalonde, unpaid servant girl and professional fetish fueler at your service!"

"Kanaya Maryam, petty thief and amatuer kindnapper at yours." You echo. "Are you really a baroness?"

"I'm not sure, my mother was before she and her estate burned down, is it a hereditary thing?"

"I am, the least qualified person you could seek to answer that question."

"Good point." Rose says, couching down to look you in the eye. "Say Kanaya, I have a proposition for you."

 

Part 3: Vriska

It's a windy night, you rub your hands together but it does little to actually warm you. You’re camped out in a small wooden structure you call the crow's nest, though it’s little more than a makeshift box located in a flat part of the roof of the blue palace, a tavern you worked in before Aranea got her big break. You haven't been home in a few days. You don't like to go home as a failure. That's just always been how you operate.

You built the crows nest with a few friends when you were very young, but recently you've been using it as an excellent way of watching over felt manor. You moved in just after your rendezvous with Terezi, a day later you found a note in it. It read only “88 hours” in blue. It wasn't hard to place what it was, who it was from or it's purpose. A time limit, clearly, Aranea, obviously, a test, almost certainly. Always with the tests and the cryptic notes, what's her deal?

You close your eyes and lean back into the structure, which you have far outgrown, listening to the sound of steps on the cobble on the street, the murmur from the inside of the pub and the sound of cloth flapping in the wind. “Some things never change.” you muse. “Do they, Eridan?”

“How the fuck did you even tell I was there Vris.” You open your eyes to see a tall troll standing over you, he wears a long grey cloak, accented in places with faded purple over a grey shirt and trousers. Two lightning bolt horns protrude from his black hair.

“You're very distinctive.” You smile, shuffling sideways slightly so he can sit next to you, which he soon does, throwing his over large cloak over both your shoulders.

Eridan's an old childhood hateheart, you split up because things simply got too amicable, among other reasons. “I'll take that as a compliment.” He smiles for a moment. “I heard about Kan.”

“You shouldn't be out here.” You say. “It's not safe, I saw Cronus earlier, I think he wants to find out where you are from Kanaya, I mean I trust Kanaya more than anyone but still I'd move if I were you.”

“We can't just move, we'd never find a place that secure, god knows we've been looking, that's why I came to offer my services for busting Kan out, as well as you know, her bein my friend an shit.”

“I'd love the help Eridan, but I can't accept it.” You say it's a sincere statement, back in the day you and Eridan were the most feared 12 year olds you can get [?], but you can't make eye contact with the troll, “If Cronus is there you'll be a liability. I'm sorry.”

“I fuckin hate this Vris. I can't do anything, I’m stuck in that damn room all day every day and I can't even do anything to help my other friends.” Eridan said burying his face into his knees.

“Eridan.” It hurts you to see him like this, Eridan was always an arrogant prat, but one who had the greatest downfall an arrogant prat like him can have: he cared far too much. You place a hand onto his shoulder and pull him back into the nest, he tentatively places an arm around you and you do the same and you just sit looking out at the city.

“No pale Vris.” Eridan mutters, sleepily.

You give a short laugh. "No pale Eridan."

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Thanks for reading! Any questions and comments? Head over to http://200andnineteenhexagons.tumblr.com/


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